In a single day parking for long-haul truckers at interstate relaxation stops is critically quick and was a key contributor to a 2023 Greyhound bus crash in Illinois that killed three folks, federal regulators stated Tuesday.
The Nationwide Transportation Security Board stated driver fatigue and poor firm oversight of its drivers additionally performed key roles when the Greyhound bus exited Interstate 70 onto a relaxation space ramp east of St. Louis and struck three semitrailers parked on the shoulder.
Board Chairperson Jennifer Homendy stated the crash, which sheared off the precise aspect of the bus and injured 12 aboard, was preventable.
“Our investigation delivered to gentle a vital scarcity of protected truck parking and made clear a painful lesson: Till we handle this essential security problem, lives are in danger on our nation’s roads,” she stated.
Truck parking on relaxation cease entrance and exit ramps is illegitimate, however the ban is seldom enforced as a result of there’s inadequate parking for the 13 million rigs on the nation’s roads and the federal authorities electronically screens truckers’ hours on the street and their relaxation durations.
The board, assembly in Washington, additionally cited the bus driver’s fatigue and “poor driver oversight by Greyhound,” together with the corporate’s failure to deal with the motive force’s “recurring unsafe driving behaviors.” Data compiled throughout the investigation confirmed the motive force had been concerned in 4 prior accidents, two of which have been deemed preventable, and an digital monitor caught him driving over the pace restrict on repeated events.
A spokesman stated by way of electronic mail that “Greyhound Traces has absolutely cooperated with the NTSB because the starting of this investigation” however declined additional remark, citing ongoing litigation.
The westbound bus, with 22 passengers, entered the remaining space close to Highland, 32 miles (about 51 kilometers) east of St. Louis at 1:48 a.m. on July 12, 2023. It slid alongside the edges of three vehicles parked for the night time.
Not one of the truck drivers was harm, however three bus passengers have been killed and the bus driver and 11 different passengers have been injured.
The report additionally famous that accidents may have been minimized if extra passengers had been sporting security belts supplied. The Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration adopted a rule in 2019 requiring industrial buses to have seatbelts for the motive force and each passenger. Illinois regulation requires using seatbelts.
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